A Researcher's Perspective on Current Events

August 25, 2009

One Nation Divisible

According to a recent Harris Poll, the glow that was Obamania doesn’t seem to be sparkling nearly as bright as it was in the spring, as Americans’ rating of Obama’s job performance slides closer and closer to the outer edge of support, though not quite off the cliff.

Despite waning approval, Americans are more likely to say the country is headed in the right direction today than they have been at any other point in Obama’s presidency. And, Americans are more optimistic about the future of the country than they have been at any other point in the past 4 years (or read a different way: GWB’s entire second term after January 2005).

Here are a couple of non-surprises within the data, and a couple of findings that – while not astonishing – may at least give us pause:

Democrats are more than 6 times as likely to reflect positively on Obama’s performance as Republicans are. So much for being the great uniter – but conversation for another time, whose fault is that, do you think?

The “blue” regions in general (and Easterners specifically) are by far the most upbeat and confident about the job Barack is doing. Obvi! See point #1 above.

Men are somewhat more likely to feel Obama is doing a good job than women are. Very interesting as women in general tend to be more supportive in surveys and are more likely to be Democrats. I have no clear answer for the reverse gender gap. Do you?

Baby and Echo Boomers are the most positive, while Gen X-ers are the most negative and more like their Mature counterparts. I suppose overall political outlook like receding hairlines skips a generation. We saw this on the abortion post late last week and will keep an eye out to see if this trend continues on other public policy debates.

So yet again, I fall not quite in step with my friends around the country. How about you?